# US 2019/0171146 A1 · Heater and fixing device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0171146 A1 - Document ID: US20190171146A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/268,011 - Filed: 2019-02-05 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-20 - Assignees: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha; Toshiba Hokuto Electronics Corporation - Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha; Toshiba Hokuto Electronics Corporation - Inventors: Osamu TAKAGI - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190171146A1 ## CPC - G03G 15/2053: {Structural details of heat elements, e.g. structure of roller or belt, eddy current, induction heating} - G03G 15/2057: {relating to the chemical composition of the heat element and layers thereof} - G03G 15/2042: {specially for the axial heat partition} - G03G 2215/2025: the fixing nip having a rotating belt support member opposing a pressure member - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract There is provided a heater according to an embodiment including a heat generating unit configured to generate heat by electric conduction; and a plurality of electrodes configured to be respectively disposed at facing side edges of the heat generating unit so as to be electrically connected to the heat generating unit and at least one side of the side edges is formed by cutting out a part thereof. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heater comprising: a heat generating unit; a plurality of electrodes on opposing first and second sides of the heat generating unit and electrically connected to the heat generating unit; and a plurality of first groove portions extending partially through the heat generating unit on the first side and towards the second side. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heater according to claim 1, wherein two or more electrodes are arranged on both the first and second sides. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The heater according to claim 2, further comprising: one or more second groove portions extending partially through the heat generating unit on the second side and towards the first side. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The heater according to claim 3, wherein each of the first groove portions is arranged between an adjacent pair of the electrodes on the first side, and each of the second groove portions is arranged between an adjacent pair of the electrodes on the second side. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The heater according to claim 4, wherein a total number of the first groove portions and a total number of the second groove portions are identical. ### Claim 6 A heater comprising: a heat generating unit configured to generate heat by electric conduction; and a plurality of electrodes on opposite facing sides of the heat generating unit and electrically connected to the heat generating unit, wherein at least one groove portion is formed on at least one of the opposite facing sides. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The heater according to claim 6, wherein the groove portion reaches the heat generating unit. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The heater according to claim 6, wherein one of the opposite facing sides of the heat generating unit has two or more groove portions, and each of the groove portions is formed along the one of the opposite facing sides and corresponding to a space between an adjacent pair of electrodes of the plurality of electrodes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The heater according to claim 8, wherein a shape of each groove portion formed in the heat generating unit is a rectangular shape, a U shape, or a V shape. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The heater according to claim 8, wherein depths of the groove portions formed in the heat generating unit are different from each other. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The heater according to claim 10, wherein the depths of the groove portions located at an edge of the heat generating unit are shallower than the depths of the groove portions located at a center of the heat generating unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The heater according to claim 6, wherein one of the electrodes on one of the opposite facing sides of the heat generating unit is a common electrode electrically connected to the heat generating unit, and a plurality of electrodes on the other of the opposite facing sides of the heat generating unit is formed by cutting out a part the electrodes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The heater according to claim 12, wherein the heat generating unit has a plurality of groove portions each corresponding to a cutout portion formed by cutting out a part of the electrodes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The heater according to claim 13, wherein depths of the groove portions formed in the heat generating unit are different from each other. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The heater according to claim 14, wherein the depths of the groove portions located at an edge of the heat generating unit are shallower than the depths of the groove portions located at a center of the heat generating unit. ### Claim 16 A fixing device comprising: a rotary body; a heat generating unit extending in a direction orthogonal to a transporting direction of a medium and disposed inside the rotary body to heat the rotary body, wherein at least two sides of the heat generating unit face each other substantially in the transporting direction; and a plurality of electrodes on the two sides of the heat generating unit, wherein two or more of the electrodes formed on one of the two sides are separated by one or more groove portions. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The device according to claim 16, wherein a common electrode is formed on one side of the two sides of the heat generating unit, a plurality of electrodes is formed on the other side of the two sides of the heat generating unit, and the groove portions are disposed on an outside of a predetermined passage region of the medium. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The device according to claim 17, wherein at least one of the groove portions reaches the heat generating unit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The device according to claim 18, wherein a number of the groove portions is even. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The device according to claim 18, wherein a shape of the groove portions formed in the heat generating unit is a rectangular shape, a U shape, or a V shape.